Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
'' Once Upon a Time in Wonderland'' is an American fantasy-drama series created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Zack Estrin and Jane Espenson for ABC Studios. The program is a spin-off of Once Upon a Time and airs on ABC at 8:00 pm Eastern/7:00 pm Central on Thursday nights in the 2013–14 television season beginning October 10, 2013.[1] The series is based around the Lewis Carroll novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland but with a different twist from the other adaptations and takes place in the same universe as Once Upon a Time in present-day Wonderland, with flashbacks to pre-Dark Curse Wonderland.[2] As such, it follows the same setting as the parent series, including the use of Disney and Lost related allusions. In addition, the series features occasional crossover episodes with Once Upon a Time that involves connections with the characters that are trapped in Storybrooke, Maine.[3] On March 27, 2014, it was revealed that the series would be ending after one season, with the series finale airing on April 3, 2014.[4] On April 1, 2014, it was reported that Michael Socha was in talks to reprise his role as Will Scarlet/Knave of Hearts as a series regular in the fourth season of Once Upon a Time, should it be renewed.[5] Premise In a Victorian London-type world, the young and beautiful Alice tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole. An invisible cat, a hookah-smoking caterpillar, and playing cards that talk are just some of the fantastic things she's seen during this impossible adventure. Believing Alice to be insane, her doctors aim to cure her with a treatment that will make her forget everything. Alice seems ready to put it all behind her....especially the painful memory of the genie Cyrus, with whom she fell in love before losing him forever. But deep down, she knows this world is real. Just in the nick of time, the sardonic Knave of Hearts and the irrepressible White Rabbit save her from a doomed fate. Now Alice is determined to find Cyrus while evading the plots of Jafar and the Red Queen, all the while dealing with the whimsical dangers of Wonderland, including the infamous Jabberwocky. Cast and characters Main cast *Sophie Lowe as Alice *Michael Socha as Will Scarlet/Knave of Hearts *Peter Gadiot as Cyrus *Emma Rigby as Anastasia/Red Queen *Naveen Andrews as Jafar *John Lithgow as Percy the White Rabbit (voice) Recurring cast *Jonny Coyne as Dr. Lydgate *Ben Cotton as Tweedledum *Heather Doerksen as Sarah *Keith David as the Cheshire Cat (voice)[6] *Marty Finochio as Tweedledee *Brian George as the Sultan/Old Prisoner *Whoopi Goldberg as Mrs. Rabbit (voice)[7] *Barbara Hershey as Cora/Queen of Hearts *Lauren McKnight as Elizabeth "Lizard" *Iggy Pop as the Caterpillar (voice)[8] *Zuleikha Robinson as Amara *Peta Sergeant as the Jabberwocky *Garwin Sanford as Red King *Shaun Smyth as Edwin Production and casting In February 2013, Kitsis and Horowitz, along with producers Zack Estrin and Jane Espenson, developed a spin-off focusing on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland. The show will include new characters, such as "Amahl, described as exotic, soulful and optimistic; and The Knave, a sardonic adventurer, a man of action, a loner and a heart-breaker."[9] On March 28, 2013, it was announced that Sophie Lowe would portray the lead role of Alice. It was also announced that Peter Gadiot would play her love interest, Cyrus, who has "a background". Michael Socha will portray the Knave of Hearts. Barbara Hershey, who has appeared as Cora, the Queen of Hearts, in the main series, may also appear in this spin-off reprising the same role in back stories .[10] Also, during the month of April, Paul Reubens was cast as the voice of the White Rabbit[11] and Emma Rigby was cast as the Red Queen.[12] On May 10, 2013, ABC announced that it had greenlit the spin-off, as well as also announcing that John Lithgow would replace Reubens as the voice of the White Rabbit. On May 14, 2013, ABC announced that the spin-off will air in the Thursday night timeslot instead of making it a fill-in for the parent series.[13] "We really want to tell the story without having to worry about how to stretch it for five years," said Edward Kitsis. "This is not meant to be a 22-episode season. Whatever it ends up being, we'll have told a complete story ..."[14] It was revealed in August at the TCA Summer Press Tour that, contrary to previous reports that more than 13 episodes were ordered straight out the gate, only the usual amount of 13 episodes had been ordered. Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz commented "However many we wind up doing this season, what we're planning to do is tell a kind of complete tale with a beginning, middle and end" and added "If it does well and people like it, hopefully we'll come back and tell another adventure with this cast."[15] At Comic-Con 2013, it was announced that former Lost star, Naveen Andrews, would be joining the cast as the villain Jafar.[16] It was announced in September that Keith David and Iggy Pop would also be included on the cast, as the Cheshire Cat and Caterpillar respectively. Iggy Pop will be a replacement for Roger Daltrey, who voiced the character originally as a guest star on Once Upon a Time. Barbara Hershey reprised her role as the Queen of Hearts in one episode. Episodes Recepion Reviews for the show have been generally favorable. The program has a 61/100 score on Metacritic based on 21 reviews.[30] Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times gave the show a positive review and wrote, "There is plenty of that—the good, the beautiful and the etc. Some of it is conjured by CG magic (the Red Queen's palace is splendid, and the White Rabbit's ears a masterwork), and some by just good storytelling and performer chemistry, which Lowe and Socha have in abundance. Add to that a smattering of witty dialogue, clever character twists and, of course, the Victo-goth steampunk look, and ABC has another shot at redefining the family hour."[31] David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle said that while the plot was, "a little overstuffed" he wrote that "the special effects, crisp direction and high-octane performances keep us interested enough to follow Alice down the rabbit hole."[32] Brian Lowry of Variety gave the show a mixed review by writing, "Wonderland is equally handsome [as Once Upon a Time], but behind those virtual sets lurk many potential flaws. An appealing Alice certainly helps matters, but past performance reduces the likelihood of a fairy-tale ending."[33] Broadcast In Canada, City simulcasted the ABC broadcast it debuted in October.[36] In Australia, the series aired on the Seven Network.[37] References #Kondolojy, Amanda (May 14, 2013). "ABC 2013–14 Primetime Schedule: 'Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' on Tuesday, 'Revenge' Sticks With Sunday, 'Once Upon a Time' Spinoff on Thursday, 'DWTS' Downsized & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Prudom, Laura (May 10, 2013). "'Once Upon A Time In Wonderland' Spinoff Picked Up By ABC". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Hibberd, James (May 15, 2013). "'Once Upon a Time' to crossover with 'Wonderland' spin-off". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (March 28, 2014). "'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' Canceled by ABC After One Season". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 28, 2014. #http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/once-a-time-michael-socha-692597 #Matt Webb Mitovich (September 5, 2013). "‘Once Upon a Time in Wonderland’ — Cheshire Cat Is Keith David". TVLine. Retrieved December 6, 2013. #Mitovich, Matt (October 23, 2013). [http://tvline.com/2013/10/23/once-upon-time-wonderland-whoopi-goldberg-mrs-rabbit "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland Exclusive: Whoopi Goldberg Cast as Spoiler's Wife"]. TV Line. Retrieved October 24, 2013. #Barrett, Annie (September 23, 2012). "'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' casts Iggy Pop | Inside TV | EW.com". Insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved December 6, 2013. #Andreeva, Nellie (March 19, 2013). "Eddy Kitsis & Adam Horowitz's 'Once Upon A Time' Spin-off Set In Wonderland Takes Shape, Zack Estrin & Jane Espenson Join". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Mitovich, Matt (April 4, 2013). "Once Upon a Time Spin-Off Scoop: Queen of Hearts Cora May Reign Alongside Red Queen". TV Line. Retrieved April 14, 2013. #Gelman, Vlada (April 5, 2013). [http://tvline.com/2013/04/05/once-upon-a-time-in-wonderland-cast-paul-reubens-white-rabbit/ "TV Line Items: Paul Reubens Hops to Once Upon a Time Spin-Off, Sing-Off Judge Exits and More!"]. TV Line. Retrieved April 20, 2013. #Andreeva, Nellie (April 3, 2013). "Emma Rigby Cast In ABC's 'Once Upon A Time' Spinoff As Red Queen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Hibberd, James (May 14, 2013). "ABC fall schedule revealed: 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' airing Tuesdays". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 17, 2013. #Hibberd, James (June 28, 2013). "'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' getting more episodes -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 29, 2013. #Ford Sullivan, Brian (August 4, 2013). "ABC at TCA: Lee on Split Seasons, Episode Orders". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 4, 2013. #"Comic-Con: Naveen Andrews Joining ABC's 'Once Upon A Time In Wonderland' As Jafar". Deadline Hollywood. July 20, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (October 11, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'The X Factor' & 'Glee' Adjusted Up; 'The Vampire Diaries' & 'The Millers' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 11, 2013. #Bibel, Sara (October 18, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'Grey's Anatomy' Adjusted Up; 'The Crazy Ones' & 'Elementary' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 18, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (October 25, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'The Vampire Diaries' Adjusted Up; 'The Millers' and 'Scandal' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 25, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (November 8, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Elementary', 'Scandal', 'The Vampire Diaries', & 'The Big Bang Theory' Adjusted Up; 'The Voice', 'The Millers', 'Sean Saves the World', 'Parenthood' & 'The Michael J Fox Show' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 8, 2013. #Bibel, Sara (November 15, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' Adjusted Up; 'The X Factor', 'Parks and Recreation', 'The Millers', 'Sean Saves the World', 'Glee', 'The Michael J. Fox Show' & 'Parenthood' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 15, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (November 22, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Big Bang Theory' & 'Grey's Anatomy Adjusted Up; 'The X Factor', 'Reign' & 'Glee' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 22, 2013. #Kondolojy, Amanda (December 6, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'The X Factor' Adjusted Up; 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Millers', 'Grey's Anatomy' & Scandal' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 6, 2013. #Bibel, Sara (December 13, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Vampire Diaries' Adjusted Up; 'The Big Bang Theory', 'The Sing-Off', 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland', 'The Millers', 'The Crazy Ones', 'Two and a Half Men' & 'Elementary' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 13, 2013. #Bibel, Sara (March 7, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Once Upon A Time in Wonderland', 'Parks and Recreation' & 'Elementary' Adjusted Up; 'The Millers' & 'Two and a Half Men' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 7, 2014. #Kondolojy, Amanda (March 14, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Hell's Kitchen', 'Parks and Recreation' & 'Scandal' Adjusted Up; 'Reign', 'The Crazy Ones', 'Two and a Half Men' and 'The Millers' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 14, 2014. #Bibel, Sara (March 21, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Vampire Diaries', 'American Idol', 'Hell's Kitchen' & 'Parenthood' Adjusted Up Plus Final NCAA Tournament Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 21, 2014. #Kondolojy, Amanda (March 28, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Hell's Kitchen', 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland', 'The Vampire Diaries' & 'Grey's Anatomy' Adjusted Up + Final NCAA Basketball Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 28, 2014. #Bibel, Sara (April 4, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Grey's Anatomy', 'Scandal' & 'Hell's Kitchen' Adjusted Up; 'American Idol', 'The Millers', 'The Crazy Ones' & 'Elementary' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 4, 2014. #Once Upon a Time in Wonderland : Season 1 @ Metacritic Retrieved October 11, 2013 #Review: Alice takes another trip in promising 'Wonderland' on ABC Los Angeles Times, Retrieved October 11, 2013 #'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' review San Francisco Chronicle, Retrieved October 11, 2013 #TV Review: ‘Once Upon a Time in Wonderland’ Variety, retrieved October 11, 2013 #Bibel, Sara (November 25, 2013). "Live+7 DVR Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' Tops Adults 18-49 Ratings Increase, 'Dracula' Leads Percentage Gains, 'The Blacklist' Tops Viewer Increases in Week 7". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 25, 2013. #Bibel, Sara (December 9, 2013). "Live+7 DVR Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' Tops Adults 18-49 Ratings & Total Viewers Increase + 'Elementary' & 'Parenthood' Lead Percentage Gains in Week 9". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 9, 2013. #"The Definitive Fall 2013 Primetime TV Schedule (Canadian Edition)" from TV Addict (June 6, 2013) #Aussie faces feature in US shows from The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia) (June 5, 2013)